Forced draft vacuum stack for milk driers



July 7, 1953 a. E. SHAW FORCED DRAFT VACUUM STACK FOR MILK DRIERS Filed Sept. 25 1949 Attorney G. E. SHAW FORCED DRAFT VACUUM STACK FOR MILK DRIERS July 7, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23 1949 [S a m m. G

Attorney Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED ST ES PATENT OFFICE.

FORCED DRAFT VACUUM SFTACK FOR MI K DRIERS George E. Shaw, Neillsville, Wis.

' Application September 23, 1949, SerialNo. 117,454 l-Claim. (01. 98-115) The present invention relates to a forced draft vacuum stack for milk dryers and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a stack which may be usedwith one or more milk-dryers particularly of the roller type. The lower end of the stack is provided with a novel man hole whereby the stack may be made accessible for cleaning and a plurality of feed pipesconnect with the stack adjacent the lower end thereof. Each of the feed pipes, has extendingtherethrough a blower tube which terminates within the stack andwhich protrudes at its outer end through a bend in the feed pipe and is provided with a fan whereby a forced draft is generated in the stack which therefore may be constructed of a much lower height than would be necessary without such forced draft. Means is also provided whereby a feed pipe may be operatively disconnected from the shaft when its respective dryer is inoperative.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to ,provide an apparatus of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means for producing a forced draft therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of a novel man hole forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of a feed pipe and blower tube forming a part of the invention,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a man hole forming a part of the invention,

igure 5 is a bottom plan View of the device sh n in Figure 4, and

e 6 is a sectional view taken along line isure 5i. Referr' gm'r particularly to the drawings, there is shownktherein a stack it provided adjacent its upper endwith a plurality of ears H to which may be fastened conventional guy wires (not shown). At I2 is indicated the roof line through which the stack extends and immedi ately above the roofline there is provided a rain' shedding device l3 having a collar M which sur rounds the stack and which is fastened thereto by means of a ring l5. Integrally formed with the collar I4 and extending downwardly therefrom is an annular outwardly and'downwardly flared canopy. l5a. V j j I I Adjacent the lower end of the stack ID the same is provided with a plurality of outwardly. ex tending feet I 6 which may be utilizedassupports for the stack and the lower end of the stack is provided with a man holegenerally indicated at [1. Connected with thestack ID at opposite" sides thereof and above the feet It is a downwardly extending feed pipe I8 whose outer end is connected by means of a joint I9 with a vertical portion whose lower end is provided with an outwardly flared lip 2| which is adapted to be placed immediately over a milk dryer.

Extending through the interior of the pipe [8 and protruding through the joint [9 is an air duct 22 whose inner end 23 extends within the stack l0 and upwardly therein in parallel relation to the stack and which terminates, as indicated at 24, at a point immediately above the roof line I 2. The lower end of the duct 22 is provided with an enlarged portion 25 wherein may be mounted a blower or fan (not shown). The lower end of the stack I0 is formed on an angle to the horizontal, as indicated at 26, and is encompassed by a bracket 2! having an arm 28 projecting therefrom at one side and a pair of support members 28a formed at the diametrically opposite side thereof. A man-hole cover 29 is provided with a gasket 30 which is adapted to bear against the bracket 21 when forced thereagainst. Dependently carried b the support members 28a is a pair of hinge arms 3| to the lower ends of which is pivotally connected a pair of forked arms32 by means of a pin 33. The arms 32 extend from a rod 34 which is engageable in a hook 35 dependently carried by the member 28.

The underside of the man hole cover 29 is formed centrally with a dependent ring 36 and v the arms 32 are interconnected by a cross bar 31 3 dampers for clearance of the ducts 22. A baffle plate 4| extends diametrically across the interior of the stack l0 and to points immediately below and immediately above the juncture of the feed pipes l8 with the stack.

In operation, it will be apparent that the blowers mounted in the enlarged portion 25 of the air ducts 22 will cause a forced draft not only in the stack I0 but also in the feed pipes l8 thus creating additional suction over the milk dryers and allowing for a lessened overall height for the stack I0 which would otherwise be necessary in the case of a natural draft. When it is desired to clean the interior of the stack, it is only necessary to turn the hand wheel 39 thus allowing the rod 34 to be released from the hook 35 and the cover 29 to be removed from the lower end of the stack. When one or more dryers are not in operation the feed pipes I8 leading thereto may be operatively disconnected from the stack by means of the damper 40 found in each of the feed pipes [8. When one of the feed pipes I8 is so disconnected, it will be seen that the bafile 4| will assist in providing greater efiiciency for the other feed pipes.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An apparatus of the character described comprising a vertical. stack extending through a roof, an annular water-shedding canopy affixed to the stack immediately above the roof, a pair of feed pipes connected with said stack adjacent the lower end thereof, each of said feed pipes having a main portion extending downwardly and outwardly from said stack and having a vertically dependent portion at the outer end thereof, a vertical baflle plate extending diametrically across the interior of the stack between the junctures of said feed pipes therewith and from a point below to a point above the junctures of the feed pipes therewith, a damper in each of the vertical portions of said feed pipes, an air duct extending through each of the main portions of said feed pipes and thence upwardly in said stack to a point above said baflle, an enlarged portion at the outer end of each of said air ducts exterior to said feed pipe, a blower mounted ineach of said enlarged portions, and a manhole cover removably mounted at the lower end of said stack.

GEORGE E. SHAW.

References Cited in the file oi this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 138,954 Strunz May 13, 1873 1,177,080 Ajemian et a1 Mar. 28, 1916 1,391,216 Stewart Sept. 20, 1921 1,498,735 Krausch June 24, 1924 1,767,869 Baumgarten June 24, 1930 1,862,272 Ludwig June 7, 1932 2,167,567 Geier July 25, 1939 2,250,399 Sims July 22, 1941 

